on the other side

Wednesday January 2^nd, Colossians 3: 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Imagine that!!!  Since we are members of one body, we are called to live in peace.  A building divided cannot stand, a nation divided cannot stand, and a world divided does not do so well either.  One of the issues to deal with when one has had an organ transplant is rejection, if the body rejects the new part, depending on the part, it could lead to death.  When the body fights against itself, death is the result.  The same is true for the body of Christ, you and I and the people we like and don’t like in this world. Peace is what we are called to seek as the body of Christ.  Often we try to do this by narrowing the definition of what the body of Christ is, our church, our religion, our faith, our neighborhood, city, county, state or nation, friends on Facebook or just people who think like me.  Jesus kept pushing the boundaries of the body of Christ outward with stories like the Good Samaritan or the Sheep and Goats, and questions like which one acted like a neighbor thereby putting the ownership of a limited view of the body of Christ on us and not “them.”  Sometimes even using the phrase “Body of Christ” is a limiting view whereby we see our only calling is to be brothers and sisters within our narrow view of faith.  I have started using the phrase “Family of God” instead, embracing all of creation, not just those whose religious views fit into the narrow definition of orthodox Christianity. This New Year as we look ahead to where God is leading us, let us move toward Peace in the expanded view of Christ, and a “Family of God” that contains no “them.” And remember that every time you draw a line in the sand….. Jesus is on the other side.